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Archmage of Mampang
The 'Archmage of Mampang '''is the primary antagonist of the [[Sorcery!|''Sorcery!]] series, though he only appears directly in the fourth volume. He is a wicked sorcerer of over a thousand years old, who stole the Crown of Kings from Analand. Biography Origin The Archmage was born and raised in Kariamma in the Baklands, in the land then known as Ishtara. He travelled to the Fortress of Sorcerers in Mampang to become an acolyte of the then-Archmage Valiquesh, and soon entrapped her within the enchanted book "Magical Prisons" which he now keeps in his library. He took up the role of the new Archmage. Prophecy of the Analander Bria, a young acolyte of the Archmage, was recruited as his seer when he realised her gift for telling fortunes. The two eventually fell in love. But Bria foretold a prophecy of the Archmage's theft of the Crown and then defeat at the hands of the Analander. Enraged, he had her executed, sent all the sorcerers out of Mampang, and utilised the Beacons of Past Light to give himself a thousand years of life to wait for his chance to steal the Crown... Theft of the Crown of Kings The Archmage's loyal Birdmen stole the Crown of Kings when it was due to be handed over to the King of Analand. The Analander was tasked with retrieving it from him and travelled to Mampang to do so. The Archmage, without Analand's knowledge, was already aware of the Analander's quest thanks to his seer, Bria, informing them that they would come to retrieve it from him. He also sent the Seven Serpents to halt or at least hinder them in their quest as well. Facing the Analander The Analander may repeatedly have faced the Archmage unprepared, and fell victim to the influence of the Crown of Kings' mind-controlling ability, resulting in their imprisonment and ultimate death. With the power of the Zed spell to reverse this fate, they eventually found a way to block the power of the Crown, either with Jann the minimite, the shock of young Bria's reappearance, the will of Flanker the assassin, or a Potion of Dissolution, and faced the Archmage head on. From there, several possible fates may have befell the Archmage: * He was imprisoned in a book containing the previous Archmage, who was released and became the new Archmage. Upon being freed, she promptly destroyed the book and killed him. * He was killed by the Analander or Flanker or spared, but with the Crown destroyed or returned to Analand, he lacked any real lasting power over the people of Mampang. * He was killed by the Analander or Flanker or spared, and fell under the influence of the Analander as they donned the Crown, and became their adviser or ally. Personality The Archmage is a cunning, manipulative sorcerer, wielding the influence of most Birdmen and the power of the Crown of Kings for a time. However, he has definite chinks in his metaphorical armour, being nearly powerless when outwitted by the Analander, exposing him as a weak old man when he does not have the upper hand and the protection of his allies. He is also quite callous and does not truly care about the state of Mampang, as many people in High Xamen hold him in contempt and wish he could be overthrown or even killed. Abilties The Archmage has astounding wit, capable of planning carefully and winning the approval of powerful allies. He is also an exceptional sorcerer who can cast spells with ease, well beyond the skill of the Analander. Trivia * The Archmage's identity is not the same as in the original gamebooks, in which he is Farren Whyde, a character who only appears in a minor role in Mampang in the video games. * If you enter Mampang at night and sleep inside Mampang, the Archmage will meet the Analander in a dream. This occurs randomly, if the Archmage is aware of their presence. Category:Characters Category:Sorcery 4 Characters